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Draftanomics
Prospect dossier

Jayden Maiava

QB · USC · via Unlv · 2027 NFL Draft class

Public Draft Board rank #65·20 contributing sources·Board as of August 31, 2026
Draftanomics scouting
Preseason edition · August 24, 20264 min read

Master scouting report

Maiava enters 2026 with 31 starts, nearly 8,000 passing yards, a quick release and one of the class's better deep balls. His range spans possible starter to Day 3 backup because the same 2025 season that led the Big Ten in passing also produced 10 interceptions and too many late throws at rotating coverage.

By Draftanomics · Sources & edition · Print report

01Career And Production

Maiava has started 31 games between UNLV and USC, completing 590 of 925 passes for 7,997 yards, 52 touchdowns and 26 interceptions. He led the Big Ten with 3,711 passing yards in 2025 while completing 65.8 percent and throwing 24 touchdowns against 10 picks.

02Frame And Release

USC lists Maiava at 6-foot-4 and 230 pounds, giving him the frame to stand through contact and see the middle of the field. His compact release gets the ball out quickly without a long windup. Lower-body timing can drift when the pocket compresses, causing placement to change even though the release remains fast.

03Arm Strength

Maiava has enough velocity for opposite-hash outs, intermediate seams and vertical throws when his base is set. The arm is clearly NFL-capable without being the rare trait that solves every late decision. He can change trajectory, but deep pace declines when pressure prevents a full transfer.

04Accuracy And Touch

Garrett Burroughs calls Maiava's deep ball one of the prettiest in the country, while Anthony Licciardi emphasizes the efficiency and explosive production it created in 2025. He can layer intermediate throws and lead a receiver away from a safety. Placement becomes less consistent when his feet hurry or he throws after drifting away from the target.

05Pre Snap Processing

Experience in Lincoln Riley's offense shows in his command of formations, leverage and packaged concepts. Maiava can identify favorable matchups and deliver rhythm throws before pressure arrives. The scheme also creates defined openings, so he still must prove that anticipation survives when the defense disguises late.

06Post Snap Processing

He must prove that Lincoln Riley's defined openings are supporting NFL-level processing rather than hiding how long he needs to see the picture.

07Pressure Response

Maiava can stand through contact and finish a throw when he recognizes pressure early. He needs to climb, reset and find the outlet instead of drifting into the edge rush.

08Mobility

He has 479 career rushing yards and 13 touchdowns, enough movement to extend a play and finish in the red zone. Maiava is a functional scrambler rather than a quarterback an NFL offense should feature in designed runs.

09Decision Making

Twenty-six interceptions across 31 starts reflect both aggressiveness and recurring risk.

10Experience And Outlook

Maiava has already led two programs and enters 2026 with more starting experience than many quarterbacks in the class. Another year in the same offensive system offers a clean opportunity to improve without learning a new language. The evaluation will turn on whether experience produces calmer pocket work rather than another statistical season with the same turnover patterns.

The case for the player

Strengths

  • Thirty-one college starts provide substantial experience across two programs.

  • A quick, compact release suits NFL rhythm and play-action concepts.

  • Deep-ball touch and trajectory create catchable vertical opportunities.

  • He threw for 3,711 yards while completing 65.8 percent in 2025.

  • NFL-sized frame helps him finish throws through contact.

  • Functional mobility extends passing downs and adds red-zone value.

The questions that remain

Concerns

  • Late movement after the snap can delay him from leaving the first read.

  • Twenty-six interceptions in 31 starts reflect recurring ball-security risk.

  • The arm is NFL-capable but does not consistently rescue late or off-platform decisions.

  • He is a functional runner rather than a dynamic creator when the pass breaks down.

Building the fit

NFL role and scheme fit

Build Maiava's offense around play action, RPOs, quick game and layered intermediate concepts. Posts, deep overs, dagger and sail routes use his touch and allow the compact release to work on time, while motion can identify leverage before the snap. Protection should include clear hot routes against interior pressure without reducing every concept to a half-field read. He has enough mobility for boots and occasional keepers, but the passing structure should remain central.

The Draftanomics view

Bottom line

Maiava has NFL size, production, a fast release and enough arm talent to threaten every level. His 31 starts reduce the mystery around his command, but they also make the repeated first-read fixation, pressure-induced footwork and turnover risk harder to excuse as inexperience. A cleaner 2026 season could move him into Day 2 because the explosive throws are already present. If the decisions remain unchanged, Burroughs's fifth-round/QB2 projection is more credible than the current starter-path grades.

Sources & edition

The Draftanomics assessment, synthesized from attributed reporting. Role and development language expresses scouting opinion.

Original analysis through August 24, 2026. Restoration reviewed September 6, 2026; this is not an in-season update. No new Draftanomics all-22 review is included.

8 original sentences are omitted pending further evidence or source-use review. The remaining wording is preserved. Source links support the assessment; they do not represent independent votes or permission to reproduce an article.

View the 5 referenced sources
  • Jayden Maiava - Football - USC AthleticsUSC Athletics

    Official 31 starts, 590/925 for 7,997 yards, 52 TD/26 INT; 2025 Big Ten lead at 3,711, 65.8 percent and 24/10; 6-4/230 and 479/13 career rushing. Proprietary QB rating excluded.

  • Jayden Maiava — summer scoutingGarrett Burroughs · July 3, 2026

    Deep touch, quick release, throws through contact, plus but not elite arm; first-read fixation, difficult progressions, hurried feet and failure to climb, dropped interception chances and limited designed-running value. Fifth-round/QB2 opinion is editorial, not a model result.

  • Jayden Maiava scouting reportAnthony Licciardi

    Layered touch and velocity variation, pressure feel and strength to reset/scramble; lower-body transfer and far-hash overstriding can limit deep pace. Views pressure response more favorably than later Burroughs study; derived efficiency scores excluded.

  • Jayden Maiava — 2025 weekly evaluationsIan Cummings · November 15, 2025

    Pre-snap defensive-spacing checks, live arm and layered placement with forced contested throws and missed progressions; read-to-read mechanical recalibration and pressure consistency concerns. QBi/EPA/ADP and erroneous Northwestern TD total excluded.

  • Jayden Maiava — retained ringer_todd_mcshay evaluationTodd McShay · July 13, 2026

    Big strong passer, relative mobility and capable arm; no external board or projected-pick output used.

Read statement references

Every passage remains linked to its supporting sources. Open a section to inspect the assessment and its evidence.

Sources for the evaluation
  1. House assessment

    Maiava enters 2026 with 31 starts, nearly 8,000 passing yards, a quick release and one of the class's better deep balls.

  2. House assessment

    His range spans possible starter to Day 3 backup because the same 2025 season that led the Big Ten in passing also produced 10 interceptions and too many late throws at rotating coverage.

Sources for career and production
  1. Reported fact

    Maiava has started 31 games between UNLV and USC, completing 590 of 925 passes for 7,997 yards, 52 touchdowns and 26 interceptions.

  2. Reported fact

    He led the Big Ten with 3,711 passing yards in 2025 while completing 65.8 percent and throwing 24 touchdowns against 10 picks.

Sources for frame and release
  1. House assessment

    USC lists Maiava at 6-foot-4 and 230 pounds, giving him the frame to stand through contact and see the middle of the field.

  2. House assessment

    His compact release gets the ball out quickly without a long windup.

  3. House assessment

    Lower-body timing can drift when the pocket compresses, causing placement to change even though the release remains fast.

Sources for arm strength
  1. House assessment

    Maiava has enough velocity for opposite-hash outs, intermediate seams and vertical throws when his base is set.

  2. House assessment

    The arm is clearly NFL-capable without being the rare trait that solves every late decision.

  3. House assessment

    He can change trajectory, but deep pace declines when pressure prevents a full transfer.

Sources for accuracy and touch
  1. House assessment

    Garrett Burroughs calls Maiava's deep ball one of the prettiest in the country, while Anthony Licciardi emphasizes the efficiency and explosive production it created in 2025.

  2. House assessment

    He can layer intermediate throws and lead a receiver away from a safety.

  3. House assessment

    Placement becomes less consistent when his feet hurry or he throws after drifting away from the target.

Sources for pre snap processing
  1. House assessment

    Experience in Lincoln Riley's offense shows in his command of formations, leverage and packaged concepts.

  2. House assessment

    Maiava can identify favorable matchups and deliver rhythm throws before pressure arrives.

  3. House assessment

    The scheme also creates defined openings, so he still must prove that anticipation survives when the defense disguises late.

Sources for post snap processing
  1. House assessment

    He must prove that Lincoln Riley's defined openings are supporting NFL-level processing rather than hiding how long he needs to see the picture.

Sources for pressure response
  1. House assessment

    Maiava can stand through contact and finish a throw when he recognizes pressure early.

  2. House assessment

    He needs to climb, reset and find the outlet instead of drifting into the edge rush.

Sources for mobility
  1. Reported fact

    He has 479 career rushing yards and 13 touchdowns, enough movement to extend a play and finish in the red zone.

  2. House assessment

    Maiava is a functional scrambler rather than a quarterback an NFL offense should feature in designed runs.

Sources for decision making
  1. House assessment

    Twenty-six interceptions across 31 starts reflect both aggressiveness and recurring risk.

Sources for experience and outlook
  1. House assessment

    Maiava has already led two programs and enters 2026 with more starting experience than many quarterbacks in the class.

  2. House assessment

    Another year in the same offensive system offers a clean opportunity to improve without learning a new language.

  3. House assessment

    The evaluation will turn on whether experience produces calmer pocket work rather than another statistical season with the same turnover patterns.

Sources for strength
  1. Reported fact

    Thirty-one college starts provide substantial experience across two programs.

Sources for strength
  1. House assessment

    A quick, compact release suits NFL rhythm and play-action concepts.

Sources for strength
  1. House assessment

    Deep-ball touch and trajectory create catchable vertical opportunities.

Sources for strength
  1. Reported fact

    He threw for 3,711 yards while completing 65.8 percent in 2025.

Sources for strength
  1. House assessment

    NFL-sized frame helps him finish throws through contact.

Sources for strength
  1. House assessment

    Functional mobility extends passing downs and adds red-zone value.

Sources for concern
  1. House assessment

    Late movement after the snap can delay him from leaving the first read.

Sources for concern
  1. House assessment

    Twenty-six interceptions in 31 starts reflect recurring ball-security risk.

Sources for concern
  1. House assessment

    The arm is NFL-capable but does not consistently rescue late or off-platform decisions.

Sources for concern
  1. House assessment

    He is a functional runner rather than a dynamic creator when the pass breaks down.

Sources for nfl role and scheme fit
  1. House assessment

    Build Maiava's offense around play action, RPOs, quick game and layered intermediate concepts.

  2. House assessment

    Posts, deep overs, dagger and sail routes use his touch and allow the compact release to work on time, while motion can identify leverage before the snap.

  3. House assessment

    Protection should include clear hot routes against interior pressure without reducing every concept to a half-field read.

  4. House assessment

    He has enough mobility for boots and occasional keepers, but the passing structure should remain central.

Sources for bottom line
  1. House assessment

    Maiava has NFL size, production, a fast release and enough arm talent to threaten every level.

  2. House assessment

    His 31 starts reduce the mystery around his command, but they also make the repeated first-read fixation, pressure-induced footwork and turnover risk harder to excuse as inexperience.

  3. House assessment

    A cleaner 2026 season could move him into Day 2 because the explosive throws are already present.

  4. House assessment

    If the decisions remain unchanged, Burroughs's fifth-round/QB2 projection is more credible than the current starter-path grades.

College record & draft context

College production, measurables, experience, and the prospect's place on the sealed Public Draft Board.

Public Draft Board

Public Draft Board rank
#65
Position rank
QB10
Contributing sources
20
Movement since prior snapshot
Down 12

Sealed snapshot as of August 31, 2026 · equal-weight aggregation of public boards, minimum 3 sources for a rank · The Public Draft Board

College production

Passing
StatisticSeason 2024Season 2025
Attempts169403
Completions101265
Completion %60%66%
Passing yards12013711
Yards per attempt7.19.2
Passing TD1124
Interceptions610
Rushing
StatisticSeason 2024Season 2025
Carries2054
Rushing yards45157
Yards per carry2.32.9
Rushing TD46
Long1321

Seasons of evidence: 2. Games played, snap counts, and usage shares are not in the retained data. An em dash means the value is not in the dataset, not zero.

Evidence notes

  • The retained data contains 2 seasons of passing, rushing production (2024–2025).
  • Passing yards increased in each observed season (1201 → 3711).
  • The newest college season in the retained data is 2025; the 2026 season is not yet included.
  • No verified athletic testing is included in the sealed dataset for this prospect.
  • 20 contributing public boards rank this prospect; the Public Draft Board places him at #65.
  • The aggregate public rank fell 12 spots between the two most recent sealed weekly snapshots.

Each note restates a displayed fact. None is a forecast of NFL performance.

Experience and measurements

Listed height
6'4"
Listed weight
230 lb
Class
Senior
Age
Not in dataset
Recorded school
USC
Former school
Unlv
Hometown
Las Vegas, NV
Jersey
#14
Recruiting stars
3-star
Recruiting rank
#855 nationally

"Not in dataset" means the value is absent from the sealed dossier dataset, not that it does not exist.

Athletic testing

Not included in the sealed dataset. No combine, pro-day, or RAS value is retained for the 2027 class; absence here does not mean no testing has taken place.

Listed roster height and weight (CollegeFootballData); no verified athletic testing is retained. Bio captured August 29, 2026.

Historical comparisons

Historical profile comparisons are being rebuilt.

Sources and methodology

  • Retained bio and measurements: Draftanomics prospect ingest (CollegeFootballData rosters and recruiting), retained seed data/seed/prospects_upcoming_full.parquet.
  • Retained college production: CollegeFootballData season statistics via the retained player cross-reference; position-relevant categories only; all-zero category rows dropped.
  • Age: unavailable — no birth date or age is retained for the 2027 class.
  • Transfer history: not retained — the page shows the current school and, where the frozen id names a different school, the former school.
  • Public Draft Board: sealed snapshot as of August 31, 2026; per-source ranks are not published under the aggregate-only source policy.

Board methodologyDossier methodologyResearch status

Board position reflects aggregated public opinion; the scouting report is a separate editorial assessment.